Danny Stevens with Dick Clark

Artful Living

​Autumn 2018 Magazine 

Sunday, March 4, 1973, Star Tribune

In 1961 a 147 pound Danny (shown here weighing in before the fight) earned the Glove Bantam Welterweight title by a  2nd round "TKO"

Joe Sandino

Danny and Jimmy Reed, program director of KDWB radio, at the Kinks concert May 23, 1970 

Danny's Reasons Invited to the Stage for the Record-breaking Mill City Music Festival 1999

With Hundreds of gold records to his name, here is a short list of well known acts that Danny has promoted:

Rush
Rodney Dangerfield
Scorpions
Rolling Stones
Eric Clapton
John Mellencamp
Def Leopard
Frank Zappa
Kool & The Gang
Village People
Kiss
Bon Jovi
Mac Davis
Bee Gees
Cher
Robin Williams
George Burns
Peter Gabirel
Hall & Oates
John Denver
Steppenwolf
The Kinks
Jethro Tull
Joe Cocker
Rod Stewart

Following two years of steady business, The Depot was faced with a reality: the public music scene was changing. Pyschedelic rock was out and disco was in. In order to stay on top of this new trend, the club needed to change its image. After a short remodel, The Depot evolved into "Uncle Sam's".

Sunday, March 4, 1973, Star Tribune
(From Gimmicks to Gold Records?)

Danny with Johnny Canton program director of WDGY radio. Opening night of Joe Cocker April 3, 1970

Danny and lead guitarist Paul McCormick #1 guitar player in the Twin Cities

Danny won the 'Silver Skates' for speed skating each year from 1956-'60

Danny's Reasons recognized with the highest musical honors!

When the club was completed in the spring of 1970, Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen was to be the club's grand opening weekend act after a scheduling conflict prevented the club's first choice; Carlos Santana to perform.

Danny acquired a Class-A liqour license from the Hotel Hastings, a necessity if the club was going to be able to sell alcohol at their shows. When original financial partner Elizabeth Heffelfinger backed out due to illness, Danny was forced to bring in a second choice, Allan Fingerhut. Having no previous knowledge of public entertainment, nightclubs, or the music business, Fingerhut was strictly a financial partner, brought in after the project was already in motion.  

The Committee owners, Danny Stevens and Allan Fingerhut in the empty Depot. Photo courtesy David Roth

Margeret Morris column, Star Tribune , 1976 

Danny Stevens with the world famous Hall and Oates at his Mt Curve mansion after the band visited The Depot.  On the left is John Oats and to the right is Darryl Hall.

Born into a family with eight siblings, Danny has always been an accomplished athlete and performer. Danny is an award-winning water skier and was published in multiple magazines throughout his childhood and teenage years. Danny started boxing in tournaments at an early age, winning Junior Golden Glove Awards from age 10 until he was 15. In high school, Danny lettered in track and was one of the stars of his school's football team. After finishing high school, Danny went to study biomedicine at the University of Minnesota where he switched the focus of his free time from athletics to music- and the rest as they say, is history!

Wilson Simon

Danny Stevens of Danny's Reasons

Wilson Simon, the night April 2nd, 1970, was alleged to have assaulted Allan and Abbey with witnesses at the MSP airport for not being invited to pick up famous musician Joe Cocker.  Wilson claimed to own some of Allan's shares.

Danny's look when he performed with Chubby Checkers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Del Shannon, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, Fabian, etc.

In late spring 2007, Danny's Reasons, 43 years after its inception in 1964, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was truly one of the greatest accomplishments of Danny's life long music career.

Taken at a concert with L.A.-based band, The Doors

After the Tyson V. Spinks fight, Danny was forced to file a lawsuit against Rose Productions (the company from which he bought the rights to show the fight) because they had operated outside the terms of the contract both parties agreed on.  These were that the rights to show the fight was not to be sold to cable companies in the area and Danny would be allowed to display the fight on closed-circut television at International Market Square in North Minneapolis.

Danny's look when he performed with Chubby Checkers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Del Shannon, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, Fabian, etc.

Original The Depot announcement

Danny at the age 10 learning the "ropes of the ring"

Danny Stevens with legendary Minnesota Vikings Defensive Lineman, Jim Marshall, and his wife Annita. Jim Marshall along with Carl Eller, MN Supreme Court judge Allan Paige, were known as the "Purple People Eaters."  Danny was in a Time magazine featured article with the famous group.

World champion water skier, boys division, ski antics- Danny Stevens age 8

Later that year, Danny started a new band, this time calling it "Danny's Reasons".

Danny and the legendary winners of the Connie Awards. Danny Stevens won best showman for 6 years and best male rock and rolll vocalist, and the band Danny's Reasons won best show group for 4 years.

The corporation named, The Committee Inc., was originated by Mickey Stevens long before Allan's involvement. 

In the early 1970's, Danny became the promotion director for Aeriloa, Mercury, and then Polygram Records after the company reformed it's business plan to have all their signed artists under one umbrella- as well as one promotion director overseeing those artists. These labels were; Casablanca, Mercury, London, Polydor, RSO, and several more. 

Pursuing a renewed passion for boxing, Danny was involved with promoting the 1988 Spinks V. Tyson fight in Minnesota with Randy Levee and Don King. He was approached by Jim Rice for Governer Perpich to be one of the state's boxing commisioners.

Featured in article- July/August 1960 edition of 'The Water Skier'

Questions remain about the relationship of the type of individuals that associated with Allan and a member of the Fingerhut's and Tom Petters 

Skip Goucher

Take a ride back in time and listen to Danny's Reasons live at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Danny Stevens' group Danny's Reasons perform Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Let It Ride" live on April 28, 2007 at their induction into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.

Courtesy of SubCinemaTV 
http://www.youtube.com/user/SubCinemaTV?feature=watch

About Danny Stevens

Danny's Reasons- Star Tribune 

In 1964 he and his band (Danny and the Night Sounds) entered into a battle of the bands contest at Minnesota's Teen State Fair.  Competeing against 400 other groups, Danny and the Night Sounds took first place in the massive contest.

Joe Sandino was short-term manager at The Depot but was alleged to very "questionable."  Danny asked Joe, "Who hired you?" Danny was president at the time of The Committee.  Joe responded the Fingerhut's, and Allan and Byron approved the hire (without the permission and knowledge of Danny).    

Star Tribune, Oct 12th, 1966

Dick Clark days, "Date With Dino", Bill Carlson, "This Must Be the Place", Nancy Nelson and Warren, Channel 11, KSTP, Channel 5, Dave Moore, and days of other television shows

Star Tribune, Oct 12th, 1966

-Danny Stevens

After juggling music, athletics, and a heavy college class load, Danny reluctantly decided to forgo school in favor of furthering his music career. Having played throughout the Midwest colleges, both the east and west coast, and received Connie awards nearly every year from 1967 to 1972, Danny shifted gears again; in 1970, he leased the former Greyhound bus station and transformed it into a popular nightclub. Simply called "The Depot", the club was the creative result of Danny and original financial partner, Elizabeth Heffelinger.

Very questionable individuals that were associates with Allan who claimed to have owned some of Allan's stock in The Depot.  

The original founder of the Depot/First Avenue bldg.,
Danny Stevens

Danny Stevens is the singer/front man for the Minneapolis-based rock n' roll band, "Danny's Reasons". Formed in 1964, the band has toured the entire United States, and in 2007 was inducted into the Minnesota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has been called "Minnesota's original teen idol" and The King of MN Rock and Roll.

Danny's Reasons

Skip Goucher misrepresented himself as the creative designer and an owner of the club.  He never owned shares but claimed he owned some of Allan's shares.

Star Tribune, Oct 12th, 1966

Tommy Bartlet show, kite flying, ski antics, and member of Cyprus Garden travel show.  Danny Stevens age 7

The following are photos of Danny's journey to become a Golden Gloves Champion!

Danny at Times Square

UndisputedFacts

Danny Stevens was the creative mastermind and founder of the music venue at the location of the old Greyhound bus depot, starting with The Depot nightclub.  Danny's relationship with Ted Mann (famous Mann theater) enabled the leasing of the famous location.

The idea that spawned the legendary nightclub started in 1968, long before Danny associated with Allan Fingerhut.

Mrs Heffelfinger was Danny Stevens' original partner when creating the concept of The Depot.  Danny had the lease of the building, the much sought after liquor license, and the wheels in motion to open up long before Allan was invited to participate.

In 1999 Danny Stevens became a member of the voting board for the Grammy Awards.  Danny has been an active member every year since he received this honor and he will be making his annual trip to Los Angeles in February.

Youngest kite flyer in the world- Danny Stevens

Danny's New Years Eve Invitation from Prince ​December 1987

Recently Discovered Accolades for Danny Stevens's Impact on the MN Music Scene